Goodall delaying future for ‘trip of a lifetime’

Like most recent college graduates, Melissa Goodall is wondering if she will have a full time job soon, but the circumstances surrounding the former UT basketball player’s situation are different than the ordinary student.

Goodall is preparing to travel with her former team to Israel in August, where the team will play in a few exhibition games along with site-seeing and experiencing Jewish culture. Her opportunity to go with the Rockets comes with a caveat though: she has to remain an amateur.

The Lexington, OH native, who averaged 12.9 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, concluded her college career in April when the Rockets defeated USC to win the WNIT.

“It was pretty much a dream season,” Goodall said. “To be a part of one of the two teams that get to end the season as a champion was a surreal feeling. I wouldn’t trade last season for anything in the world.”

With Goodall’s height (6’2) and her skill level, a career in the professional leagues in Europe seemed like the next step in her hoops odyssey, until coach Tricia Cullop called with some good news.

All during last season the Rockets were engaged in fundraising efforts to fund a team trip to current player Naama Shafir’s homeland of Israel.

“The trip is really an opportunity for our team to bond and also support Naama,” Cullop said. “To have the chance to see where she comes from and meet her family and friends is a great privilege for our team.”

With Goodall’s eligibility expiring at season’s end, she and teammate Jessica Williams thought they weren’t going to join the team overseas.

“Jessica and I participated in the fundraising events, but we didn’t think we were going to get to go,” she said. “But then coach [Cullop] called and told me that the university was going to take us along.”

The chance to travel to with the Rockets and see Shafir, who is Goodall’s roommate during the school year, was a dream come true, but the opportunity came with a catch.

The NCAA will require all players traveling with UT to have an “amateur status.” The NCAA says that a player’s amateur status ceases when either of the following happen: paid (in any form) or accept the promise of pay for competing in an athletic contest or verbally commit with an agent or a professional sports organization.

That means that Goodall cannot sign with any European team or agent prior to returning from Israel at the end of August.

Goodall also can’t be in direct negotiations with any teams either, which will make it difficult to secure a spot on any professional basketball team.

“It’s kind of a weird spot to be in,” Goodall said. “I really wanted to go on the trip, but I wasn’t sure if that meant I would be able to play professionally.”

Goodall spoke with Cullop and several of the coach’s confidants about the challenge that lies ahead.

While all seem confident that she won’t have too much of an issue finding a team at the conclusion of the trip to Israel, none can say for certain whether she will be signed or not.

“There are always some nagging doubts about the process,” Goodall said. “But after talking with Coach and her contacts, I am pretty comfortable going forward with the trip.”

A few advantages Goodall has are the European basketball schedule and the position she plays.

The European leagues play a more traditional sports calendar. Basketball season typically runs from fall through spring, as opposed to the WNBA, which plays during the summer months in the United States.

“Most European teams aren’t signing players until late August or early September,” Cullop said. “Melissa will be just a little behind that time schedule.”

The other is Goodall’s position. According to Cullop, players like Goodall will still have a good chance of being signed late in the free agency period.

“If she were a guard, I think there would be a little bit more trouble, but because she is a post player who is versatile, the process should be easier. I would be surprised if Melissa had any problems when we get back.”

For now Goodall must dabble in the unknown. She will continue working out and try and improve her game to make herself enticing to a potential team.

“I am just getting in the gym and working on my game,” she said.

Goodall is working especially hard on her one on one skill set, which she feels will make her a better all around player.

“I think it will make me better and more attractive to some of the teams who might want to sign me.”

While she waits to find out about her basketball future, Goodall is looking forward to the trip.

“It is a great chance to be a part of a once in a lifetime trip. I get to go overseas with my friends and teammates one last time. I couldn’t be happier about that.”

Mahalak ‘made it through’ NHL combine, ‘did well’

While most 18-year-olds were busy preparing for their high school graduation, Matt Mahalak was preparing for a different event.

From May 30 to June 5, the Monroe native was in Toronto for the NHL’s annual draft combine.

“I have never lived the life of a normal teenager,” Mahalak said. “I have never gone to prom and done the typical high school things. While it’s been tough, I wouldn’t trade my experience for anything.”

Mahalak was just one of eight goalies who were picked to attend the combine, which uses a variety of tests to help teams determine a player’s value.

The combine invite represented an opportunity for Mahalak to showcase his skills and helped the young net minder come one step closer to his ultimate goal: playing in the NHL.

Mahalak said that the combine was unlike anything he’s ever experienced.

“It was much different than I expected,” he said. “The first two days were nothing but interviews with teams. I didn’t expect to be wearing a suit and tie the first few days there, but it was nice that it wasn’t all physical testing throughout the entire five days.”

Mahalak ranked in the top 24 for the fatigue test, and he was proud that he came in lean, learning he had a body fat index of just 8 percent. While those stats are impressive it was not his crowning achievement.

“I was just glad I didn’t puke during the bike test,” he said with a chuckle.

Mahalak ended up finishing in the top 20 for the Vo2 Bike test that is routinely the most difficult for prospects.

“It’s weird because I was nervous before [the Vo2 Test] began, and then you had all these people watching you on top of it. I was just glad I made it through and did well.”

His love affair with hockey began at a young age. After dabbling in other sports, Mahalak decided life on the ice was the way to go.

“I played a little bit of basketball, but hockey has always been the sport I enjoyed the most,” he said.

Despite playing hockey for most of his youth, it wasn’t until Mahalak entered his teenage years that he realized his passion could be more than a hobby.

“I was playing for a team and we never had a set goalie, and it just ended up being my turn to play in net,” he said.

“I ended up playing really well and it was a situation where people started telling me I needed to play goalie. Even my teammates started wanting me in goal because they realized I could do some things that they couldn’t.”

When getting ready to play in Triple-A hockey, Mahalak said he received a lot of interest from teams. The attention was surreal.

“I just couldn’t figure out what was so special about me. I realized that I could keep going with this if I worked hard.”

After playing a season in the United States Hockey League with the Youngstown Phantoms, Matt joined the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) this season.

“The speed of the game was difficult to get adjusted to at first. I made some adjustments to my game,” he said.

In the second half of the season, Mahalak posted a .930 save percentage.

“I took the time to get better and I set some goals for myself. I was very proud of the way I finished off the season. Being a backup inspired me to work that much harder to get better.”

The effort was good enough to earn Mahalak a coveted spot in the NHL combine.

Mahalak has little idea as to where he will end up during the June draft.

“I have interviewed with eight different teams since the combine, but there has been no indication who will take me either way.

“You just have to sit back and wait,” he said.

Between now and then, Mahalak will continue to work out and stay ready for when his name might be called.

“This has been a great experience, and I am just thankful to be in the position I am at,” he said.

USA Today references TFP article on Tressel

In her June 1 column,”Is Tressel’s OSU exit a scandal for evangelism via athletics as well?” USA Today writer Cathy Lynn Grossman references the December 2009 Toledo Free Presscover story written by Sports Editor Chris Schmidbauer. In “Tressel’s game plan for sports and life includes God,” Schmidbauer interviewed former Ohio State University coach Jim Tressel about his religious faith and its impact on his coaching. Tressel resigned as OSU coach on May 30.

The Cheap Seats: Tressel resigns from Ohio State

It wasn’t all that long ago that Jim Tressel’s face graced the Toledo Free Press cover with a story about faith and how to live life with integrity, honesty, and virtue.

Having worked under Tressel for five seasons, my mission was to tell the story of the man behind the sweater vest.

In the wake of the NCAA scandal that rocked the football program these recent months, the vocal minority who did not support Tressel has turned into a majority, and they finally got their way.

Jim Tressel is no longer the head coach for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

On May 30, Tressel, along with University President E. Gordon Gee and Athletic Director Gene Smith, decided that it was in the best interest of the football program and The Ohio State University that the embattled coach tender his resignation.

The resignation, which came as unexpected news on a Memorial Day holiday when most university operations are closed, sent shockwaves through the school’s fan base.

Ever since the March 8 news conference announcing that Tressel knew that players were selling memorabilia for tattoos and other benefits prior to the December investigation that suspended five Buckeyes, the pro-Jim Tressel camp’s number appeared to have dwindled significantly.

As more time went on and the more people dug, the scandal kept getting worse until all parties involved were left with only one outcome.

The act of not forwarding the emails from former walk-on and current attorney Christopher Cicero was wrong and any self respecting fan needs to admit the act is indefensible, especially when it is written in the contract that Tressel was to do so.

In the case of the law it is called aiding and abetting.

In the world of college sports there is another label assigned: cheater.

It is difficult to lead any athletic program, even more so one that has been built on a perception of integrity and honesty, with this label.

For what it’s worth, I feel this was an act out of character for a man that has lived his life to the letter of the law: moral, legal, and spiritual.

Tressel said he was looking out for his players when he didn’t notify his bosses of the emails he received.

Most critics of the program, however, have contrived an image of Jim Tressel as a scheming behind the scenes con-artist who hides behind a false public persona to allow him to lie, cheat, and steal to win championships.

Recently lost from their collective conscience has been the all the charity work Tressel, his wife, and family have done in the community.

As a football coach, his team just posted the highest team academic progress score in the history of the program. He has coached numerous scholar athletes and touched the lives of so many young men.

The court of public opinion was judge, jury, and ultimately executioner in this case. In one act, all of the good deeds have been forgotten and cost Tressel his job.

Many a Buckeye had always asked me how I thought Jim Tressel’s tenure at Ohio State would end.

In happier times I would have said on his terms; retiring after a lengthy career as a legend in the coaching profession and scribed in the annals of Ohio State lore.

Never did I imagine it would be amidst scandal, being asked to resign by university brass, for the good of the program.

But I think we all can agree on one thing — we never thought it would be this soon.

Langer, Inverness gearing up for U.S. Senior Open

When the United States Golf Association (USGA) announced in 2007 that the 2011 U.S. Senior Open would return to Inverness, it probably registered as little more than a blip on most people’s radar.

But July 28-31, 2011, is a date that the folks at the USGA and Inverness have been looking forward to.

“It’s been seven years since the Senior Open Championship has been here at Inverness, and we are excited to be back,” said Thomas O’Toole, vice president of the USGA Executive Committee. “We are looking to make this a very successful U.S. Senior Open Championship for the Inverness Club and the City of Toledo.”

Langer

O’Toole and several members of the USGA, along with last year’s champion Bernhard Langer, were in Toledo on May 16 to begin the final preparations for the 32nd U.S. Senior Open.

Despite the rainy and cool conditions outside, brass inside the clubhouse were beaming about what will occur at the historic Inverness Club.

“The philosophy of the USGA is that the Senior Open should be the toughest physical and mental test that our Champions tour members will play in each year,” O’Toole said. “This title is the most coveted in senior golf, and we couldn’t be more pleased with our partnership with the Inverness.”

No one knows about the test the Open provides every year quite like Langer.

The German golfer won both the Senior British Open at Carnoustie in Scotland and the Senior Open in Sahalee, which is near Seattle.

“It was very taxing last season,” Langer said of pulling off the rare feat of back-to-back major wins in consecutive weeks. “It is a very difficult stretch, especially when you factor in the regular British Open is played the week prior to the Senior British as well. Some of us are playing in three consecutive major tournaments.

“I was very fortunate and blessed to be at the top of my game, to be able to win the Senior Open last year.”

Defending that title will prove to be just as difficult once again this season. Langer is fighting his way back from a torn thumb ligament, which has sidelined him for the start of the golf season.

Langer sustained the injury while riding his bicycle. The incident occurred when Langer pressed the button at a crosswalk to change the traffic light.

“People thought I had really hurt myself, but I must’ve just pressed the button wrong or something,” he said. “I hope to be back playing in a few weeks and by the time we come to Inverness, I hope to be playing at full strength.”

The back-to-back majors will also be a challenge once again as the Senior British Open will be played the week prior to this year’s U.S. Senior Open.

“I am one of those guys that isn’t extremely happy that we have to play back-to-back majors,” Langer said. “When you think about the guys on the regular tour who don’t play in back-to-back majors, but nonetheless it is a challenge that we have to deal with and face this year.”

Langer is no stranger to success. He won the Masters in 1985 and 1993 and he has played for the European Ryder Cup team 10 times.

He said he will use those experiences to deal with the challenging schedule again this season.

“With my Ryder Cup experience and some of the other experiences I have had in my career, I am going to use those to prepare for the challenges I will face again this year.”

Langer said he is looking forward to the challenge Inverness will provide him and other competitors.

“I am going to spend the little time we have studying and looking at the course to get familiar with it,” he said. He played at Inverness in 1993 during the PGA Championship. “This is going to be a tough course and I am going to do the best I can be ready for it.”

Buckeye nightmare: Tattoo-gate just won’t die

It has been more than a month since the school announced that head football coach Jim Tressel was aware that players had selling memorabilia in exchange for tattoos and other gifts.

Usually with time, due in large part to a short attention span by the public, the major stories seem to fade into the background and become part of the rich tapestry of our subconscious.

But with yet another story being reported on April 20, Tattoo-gate still seems to be alive and kicking.

The latest report dealt with an update on the ongoing investigation surrounding Tressel and the fallout from the now infamous press conference that was conducted during this past March.

There wasn’t any form of a bombshell that came from the story outside of the fact that Tressel’s $250,000 fine probably won’t cover the cost of the investigation, but one quote did stick out when reading the story published by the Associated Press.

When referring to the situation surrounding Tressel and the five players involved in the NCAA scandal, Smith was quoted as saying that, “It’s a nightmare.”

The phrase itself isn’t that revealing. Anyone in Smith’s shoes would likely say the same thing, but the Freddy Krueger scenario reaches far beyond any potential violations that will be dealt with by the Buckeyes.

Golf legend and Ohio State alum Jack Nicklaus informed reporters at a fundraiser for the annual Memorial Tournament held in the Columbus suburb of Dublin that he feels that “Jim Tressel is taking the fall.” Nicklaus went on to say that while he is not privy to any information that the media is not aware of, he thinks Tressel is a “good guy” and made allegations that he believes Smith and university president Gordon Gee knew about the involvement of players selling merchandise to tattoo parlor owner Edward Rife.

As hurtful as the Golden Bear’s comments to Smith might be, he isn’t the only one talking about the situation. Gee got in the act this week after he talked with the Ohio State student newspaper “The Lantern” to apologize for his ill timed joke at the March presser. The phrase “I’m just hoping the coach doesn’t dismiss me” might be the epithet on Gee’s tombstone when everything is all said and done.

If you need further proof of the zombie like qualities of the Tressel saga head on over to Google. After conducting a simple search of Jim Tressel, there were over one million results that were returned. I am going to hypothesize that there was far less just two months ago and there were probably fewer ones calling for the head coach of Ohio State to be fired too.

Whether fortunate or unfortunate, Smith has been the one left to take the brunt of the fallout from Tattoo-gate.

Tressel has been able to focus on spring practice which will wrap up on April 23 with the annual spring game. While there may be the occasional query into the pending NCAA investigation, the Vest has been able to focus on football and preparing his team for life without him for five games next season.

Gee’s natural domain is academia and not rooted in the sports realm. There are far more pressing situations like the university’s commencement and overall university problems to get lost in then worrying about any verbal gaffes made earlier this spring.

Smith has been the point man for questions regarding the case. He was peppered with questions in the AP article about every angle of the ongoing investigation. For Smith, there is no other world to escape in to.

There is just this behemoth of a story: Tattoo-gate and all the problems that surround it and it is not showing any signs of going away anytime soon.

Whenever the final verdict on the NCAA violations are passed down, it might be another dark day in Columbus for Tressel and the Buckeyes.

But forgive Gene Smith if he has a little smile come across his face. He will just be happy that his personal “Groundhog Day” may be coming to an end.

Falcons fall short in NCAA tourney

Any hopes of a “Cinderella” run in the Women’s NCAA tournament evaporated in the first four minutes of the second half, as the BGSU Falcons lost to Georgia Tech 69-58.

Trailing just 33-32 at the half, the Falcons were victim to a 10-4 run by the Yellow Jackets aided by some costly BG turnovers.

“We talked the last few minute of halftime about getting off to a good start,” BGSU head coach Curt Miller said after the game. “It’s disappointing when you talk about something, and then don’t go out and execute.”

Miller said the rough stretch was especially difficult to deal with because it was déjà vu all over for the Falcons.

During last year’s tournament game against Michigan State, BGSU struggled early in the second half, and they ended up losing by 10.

“We thought with all of our experience that we would be able to get out to a better start, and we didn’t” he said.

Georgia Tech used a stifling defense and the strong inside presence of Sasha Goodlet, who scored 19 points, to seal the win.

“I thought that was a part of the chess match all day,” Miller said. “I thought we did a nice job switching her up on her defensively, but she is just such a big body.”

The Yellow Jackets pressed the entire 40 minutes of the ballgame to create 25 turnovers by the Falcons, and it was something that wore BGSU down.

“We aren’t used to being pressed like that for 40 minutes,” senior Lauren Prochaska said after her final game with the Falcons. “I thought we did alright handling it in the first half but you just get fatigued, and that is what happened to us.”

The intensive defensive pressure also created havoc for the Falcons once they got the basketball past half court. BGSU is used to a more team oriented offensive attack rather than the one on one style they were forced to play.

“We just aren’t used to having to drive the basketball all game,” sophomore guard Chrissy Steffen, who scored 16 points, said. “We are usually more team balanced and we aren’t used to that.”

Miller took Steffen’s remarks a step further.

“We actually got more layups around the basket today then we do against shorter and slower teams we face in conference,” he said.

Prochaska, who was clearly emotional after the game, received a standing ovation from the Falcon faithful who made the two hour trek south to Ohio State’s St. John Arena.

“I thought she was the best player on the floor tonight,” Miller said. “I know there were WNBA scouts here today watching her, and she was the best player out there.”

The Falcon’s all time leading scorer tacked 19 points on to her career totals in the orange and brown, but much to the chagrin of Prochaska and her fellow teammates, it was all for naught.

Senior guard Tracy Pontius had nine points to finish her career with the Falcons, while Maggie Hennegan, Jen Uhl, Jessica Slagle, Allison Papenfuss, and Danielle Havel all scored as well.

The loss to Georgia Tech caps off a tremendous run for six seniors on Miller’s squad. It was a stretch that saw them win 110 games in the class’s time at BGSU.

“I can’t say enough about this senior class,” he said. “They have been a pleasure to coach and I can’t believe that their time here is done.”

Miller got choked up when speaking about his seniors, referencing their tremendous character.

“They are not only hard workers on the court, but they are great people off it as well. It has been a joy to coach them.”

Miller and BGSU end the season 28-5 overall. This was the eleventh time in school history that the Falcons have played in the NCAA tournament. Georgia Tech will face the winner of the Ohio State/Central Florida game on Monday evening.

Saying goodbye to the City League

When the final horn sounded, a mighty cheer erupted from the Whitmer section. The Panthers had done what many thought was impossible just hours before: they beat St. John’s Jesuit for the City League basketball title.

As the Panthers cut down the nets from the south basket, strands of nylon clutched in their hands, it may not have dawned on many that this was it. This was the final City League championship.

The league will continue next season with the six Toledo public schools remaining to pick up the pieces, but high school sports in the Glass City will never be the same.

The league began in 1926 with initial members Waite, Woodward, Libbey and Scott, but the league as we know it didn’t take shape until the late 1960s. For the next 40-plus years, the area’s premier athletic conference dominated the headlines and the minds and hearts of local prep sports fans.

Some wondered if the league would ever meet its demise. A colleague of mine in the local sports media industry in town said he thought the City League would last forever.

The league boasted its fair share of triumphs.

The conference always found ways to get fans excited for league titles and it always put them on a grand stage.

There was the Shoe Bowl and then the Hall of Fame game, which were used to decide who wore the league crown in football.

The aforementioned final four format in basketball has long been popular among Toledo’s hoop aficionados.

But there were rocky times as well.

Many will never forget that first season after Macomber-Whitney and DeVilbiss high schools were closed in 1991.

Some still can’t bear to drive down Western Avenue, can’t see the shuttered doors of Libbey High School without thinking about the more recent days when the Cowboys dominated the sports landscape.

There were squabbles about whether the league was too big, and TPS’s ever-changing body of schools and budget woes created uncertainty and doubt throughout the years.

The City League, however, had always been able to weather the storm — until recently.

The back-to-back TPS levy failures forced a difficult choice. All junior high and freshman sports were cut from the district schools.

The school board also eliminated certain sports altogether. Wrestling, golf and cross-country were all sent to the cutting room floor.

With an uncertain future, the league’s seven non-TPS schools had to make a tough choice.

At the end of the school year, those seven institutions decided to leave the City League and form a new league, the Three Rivers Athletic Conference.

Talk to any of the seceding school’s athletic directors; none are happy with the outcome, but many said that the non-TPS schools couldn’t wait to see if the situation got better or worse.

There will be spring sports, and in many ways this is the last hurrah for the league. Baseball, softball and track and field titles will be up for grabs for one final time.

In many ways, the basketball finals were the league’s swan song. Long seen as one of the tougher conferences in the entire state for basketball, the final four in basketball was one title that never seemed to lose its luster.

Players like Jimmy Jackson, Dennis Hopson, Kelvin Ransey, Todd Mitchell and William Buford all played in the conference’s hoops tournament, and some were lucky enough to cut down the nets, too.

The tournament will continue next season with the six remaining schools, but it won’t be hosted at Savage Arena and it won’t carry the same weight it once did.

As Whitmer’s head coach Bruce Smith descended the ladder on Feb. 24 with his piece of the net in hand, the City League changed forever.

Amidst the smiles and photos being snapped, no one seemed to realize that the end is near.

I can’t help but be a little sad about that.

Chris Schmidbauer is sports editor for Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star. He is also the co-host of the “Odd Couple Sports Show” on Fox Sports Radio 1230 WCWA and can be heard every weekday from 10 a.m. to noon. He can also be seen weekly on the “Friday Night Frenzy Tailgate Show” on NBC 24’s America One. Contact him at cschmidbauer@toledofreepress.com.

Checking in with City League basketball

Now that the holiday season is officially in the rearview mirror, it’s time to get back down to business in the City League.

The prolonged holiday break presented unique opportunities for teams to showcase their talents in many small tournaments in and around the area. St. John’s Jesuit hoops squad took it a step further and traveled to Richmond, Va., to participate in a tournament.

Because each team has a different schedule, it is easy for the public to lose track of what has transpired in the world of prep basketball in the Glass City.

Here is an up-to-date look at the teams in the City League and their predicted order of finish for the end of the season.

1. St. John’s Jesuit: While the Titans’ dreams of an undefeated season ended at the hands of Baltimore Mount St. Joseph during the holidays, St. John’s still looks like the team to beat. Led by sophomore Marc Loving and seniors Cheatham Norrils and Zach Steinmetz, the team from Airport Highway has been impressive in every game it has played locally. That includes a big win Jan. 7 versus the Start Spartans. As of press time, games against Central Catholic, Whitmer, and Bowsher still loom on the horizon for Ed Heintschel’s team. While it is quite a test for the players, they still seem the team to beat in their final City League season.

2. Whitmer: The Panthers are the last remaining unbeaten team in the City League right now, and the maize and blue have gone through some very tough competition to achieve that mark. Even more impressive for Whitmer is it is still learning to gel after getting a late start because of the football team’s deep run into the state football playoffs. Coach Bruce Smith’s squad has won based off a team effort centered around sophomore sensation Nigel Hayes. The team’s early success has put it in a good position to steal a CL title.

3. Bowsher: Perhaps no team benefited more from the closure of Libbey High School than Bowsher. The Rebels already had scoring machine Robert Davis, but the additions of Maurice Birdsong and Lonacy Utley have made Bowsher one of the favorites to win the league. After a loss at Anthony Wayne in the team’s season opener, the Rebels haven’t lost a game. That could change with a Jan. 14 matchup at home against Whitmer and games against St. Johns and Central Catholic.

4. Central Catholic: Jim Welling’s team has gotten off to a great start losing just one of its first six games. Led by seniors Drew Lehman, Dareon Jones and a slew of others, the Fighting Irish would love to repeat as league champions in their final go around in the CL. The Jan. 13 contest against St. John’s will tell a lot about this team and just how good they are.

5. Rogers: The Rams are one team this season who could be a surprise team in the CL final four. Earl Morris’ high octane offense is built off of the fast break, and it could present matchup problems for other teams. Speedsters Damond Powell and Glandoy Hill are key to a successful season, but the team’s lack of height won’t be easy to overcome.

6. Start: Start has been another surprise team this season. Led by former Libbey Cowboy Maurice Taylor, Gil Guerrero’s team has used its speed to upset some teams. The Spartans aren’t very deep which could cost them, but don’t underestimate this squad.

7. St. Francis: Knights first-year head coach Brad Britton has had a tough road to travel this season. St. Francis only had one player, who played significant minutes, return this season. The job the new coach has done has been pretty solid, but a lack of talent might derail any hopes of a Cinderella ending.

8. Waite: The Indians are another team that could surprise some of the other teams this season. Returning starters Ke-Sean Harris and Dijon Harris are one of top duos in all of the area. But a lack of consistency has cost Waite some games early this season.

9. Scott: After just a four-win season last year, new Bulldogs head coach Chris Dames hasn’t had a great start. Scott is winless this season, but one thing the team can be proud of is it has shown toughness this season.

10. Clay: The Eagles have just one win this season and it was against Woodward. Clay had just three wins last season and with only four starters returning, this season is only going to get tougher.

11. Woodward: The highlight of the Polar Bears season has been the opening of the school’s new gym. Other than that it has been a tough start for the Jason Moss’ team.

Chris Schmidbauer is sports editor for Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star. He is also the co-host of the “Odd Couple Sports Show” on Fox Sports Radio 1230 WCWA and can be heard every weekday from 10 a.m. to noon. He can also be seen weekly on the “Friday Night Frenzy Tailgate Show” on NBC 24’s America One. Contact him at cschmidbauer@toledofreepress.com.

Michigan, Brandon need to get the right man this time

When Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon held a press conference to announce the firing of head football coach, he had a rather poignant remark when it came to his former employee’s sleeping habits.

“I don’t think Rich Rodriguez has had a peaceful night sleep since he arrived in Ann Arbor,” Brandon said during Wednesday afternoon’s session.

While Rodriguez maybe sleeping a little more soundly these days, many of the Wolverine faithful are not.

Some had called the marriage between Rodriguez and Michigan an awkward one right from the start.

There was the very public spat between Rodriguez and his then former school, West Virginia University, over a hefty buyout clause in his contract. The Mountaineer athletic department accused their former coach of everything from being a traitor to stealing files from the football office after his departure.

Things didn’t get much better from there. Rodriguez garnered a 15-22 record in his three seasons with Michigan, including a 1-11 record against opponents ranked in the Top 25 and a combined 0-6 record against rivals Michigan State and Ohio State.

The defense under Rodriguez was equally appalling this season, ranking near the bottom of many NCAA statistical categories.

Brandon said during Rodriguez’s tenure that Michigan suffered its worst three year stretch for the historic program.

Throw in major NCAA violations for abusing practice time limits, and Brandon and the athletic department had seen enough.

When Rodriguez was hired as head coach in December of 2007, the thought was that he would change the culture at Michigan and maybe even the Big Ten.

The first coach to be hired outside of legendary Wolverine coach Bo Schembechler’s coaching tree, Rodriguez never seemed to quite fit the mold of a so called “Michigan man.”

Rodriguez’s tenure is starting to have a rippling effect into recruiting as well, where the program lost top recruit Dee Hart to Alabama. With the announcement of the firing on Wednesday, the recruiting class could lose more athletes as they ponder where they will fit in under a new coach at Michigan.

It has been reported that current Stanford coach and former Michigan football player Jim Harbaugh, who is a candidate for the job, is unlikely to take the job at Michigan according to several media outlets.

Other candidates who have been mentioned are current Louisiana State coach Les Miles and current San Diego State coach Brady Hoke, both former assistant coaches at Michigan.

Regardless of who is being considered for the position, one thing has become certain. The next head coach at Michigan needs to be the perfect hire.

The Michigan program has undoubtedly fallen on hard times. The numbers under Rodriguez speak for themselves.

Whoever takes over is going to inherit a roster full of players that fit the spread offense of Rich Rodriguez, something that few coaches run.

The new coach is also going to inherit a group of bruised egos. This is a team of young men who have been a part of many poor performances in several big games.

Dave Brandon knows this too, which is why getting the right man for the job is so crucial this time.

The right hire will have to be able to blend this group of talent with a system that can work on and off the field.

Sadly, for the maize and blue, even with the right hire, it will take time to restore this program to prominence.

What can’t happen is for Brandon and company to bring in another Rich Rodriguez.

The program is already teetering on the brink, and a poor hire could set this program back even further.

Further exacerbating the need for a successful coach is the athletic department’s dependence on the football program.

“The University of Michigan Athletic Department cannot be successful unless Michigan football leads our success. It is the primary revenue generator. It is the primary brand builder. It’s the program that leads the way,” Brandon said.

With all of these concerns looming for the next coach, Michigan has to get it right this time.

Otherwise college football’s most successful program still has plenty more dark days to weather.

Chris Schmidbauer is sports editor for Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star. Contact him at cschmidbauer@toledofreepress.com. He is also the co-host of the “Odd Couple Sports Show” on Fox Sports Radio 1230 WCWA and can be heard every weekday from at 10 a.m. to noon. He can also be seen weekly on the “Friday Night Frenzy Tailgate Show” on NBC 24’s America One.